Goal: CAD and laser cut a press fit cube using parametric design Software: Fusion 360, Adobe Illustrator (for printing with laser cutter) Prior Experience: minimal CAD, none with cutting physical objects New Methods:
rectangular pattern,
press fit,
kerf,
cut (using "combine" tool)
Details:
Never done press fit before
This is an exercise in fully parameterizing a multi-panel, 3D shape and accounting for kerf (laser width) for precision cuts
Define 4 parameters:
cube side length
press fit tab length (1/5th cube side length for 5 tabs per edge)
press fit thickness (slightly thicker than the cardboard)
kerf (laser width)
Sketch a fully constrained square
Set side length to cube side length
Sketch small rectangle in square corner as template for press fit tabs
Set depth of tab to thickness + kerf and width of tab to tab length + kerf
Use rectangular pattern to replicate tabs along edge
Sketch the same pattern, but offset on the opposing edge
'Mirror' across diagonal construction line to tab remaining edges
'Extrude' sketch by thickness to form first side panel
For the 3 remaining sides: 'move' (+copy) the first side panel, rotate and transform to assemble panels with press fit flush, 'joint' to fix panel to the sides it is touching
Adjust parameters to ensure the side panels scale and move together
For top and bottom panels:
Create a sketch plane from a top/bottom face
'Project' points from corners of assembled sides
'Sketch' a square with corners constrained to projected points
'Extrude' by thickness, forming a new body (do not cut)
'Combine' to cut panel with the press fit tabs of side panels
'Joint' to attach panel to the sides it is touching
Create sketch from one face of each panel (top, bottom, side)
Adjust parameters to ensure all panels/sketches scale and move together
Export panel-derived sketches as .dxf files for printing
Iteratively print 2 side panels, testing different kerf values
Note that kerf is dependent on environmental factors and may change between sessions
I originally converged on kerf value of 0.175mm for successful press fit
The next day, for final print, I had to adjust the kerf to 0.3mm
